The EV Cup: Making Employee Ownership Real

How do you make the intangible, tangible??

As employee owners, we eventually come to understand the feeling of owning the business we work for. We know how it feels to work towards the same goals, together, on the same side of the table. But how can you turn that into something to experience with your senses?

One way is by opening an annual ESOP statement. Picking the green envelope from the mail pile, opening it with anticipation, and seeing a new ESOP account balance is something you can touch and see (maybe you also taste your favorite beverage to celebrate).

But opening the green envelope only happens once a year. So in 2021, we decided to start the EV Cup as another tangible experience of employee ownership.

Held during Employee Ownership Month in October, the EV Cup is a friendly competition among EV operating companies. It consists of two main initiatives: a food drive and submissions for the 3 Cs, plus bonus points awarded to the company with the Employee Owner of the Year. And each company hosts a celebration, with games, potlucks, food trucks, and recognition for all employees.

For this year’s food drive, EV operating companies donated 8,600 food items and over $2,000 to local food banks. These items will make a massive difference in local communities, as those in need will have a little easier time going into the holidays.

But employees experienced ownership in more tangible ways than donations, potlucks, and Game of Throws (aka horseshoes with toilet seats).

The 3 Cs – Community, Culture, and Continuous Improvement – play a crucial role in who takes home the Cup. We collect anonymous submissions from employees touting their company’s work on the 3 Cs, which a panel of independent judges then scores.

Some stories blew us away. Here are a few out of dozens of entries:

• One company takes part in the Salvation Army’s Angel Tag program, where each tag has a child’s Christmas wishes. Last year, the company provided Christmas gifts for three kids. This year, they plan to adopt a family with eight kids under 13, so no kid misses Christmas. “Everyone comes together to make Christmas happen for these kids. Every day the guys come and check to see what has been donated since the last time they checked in.”
• Another company hosts monthly activities to foster their employee ownership culture. One of those events will be a workshop to modify toys for special needs children to open on Christmas.
• A close family member of an employee owner received a life-altering health diagnosis. Colleagues rallied around the cause, helping to raise $3,500, and more than 20 people took part in a charity walk to raise added funds. The support blew away the employee owner, who said, “Knowing that I can count on my co-workers and friends is one of the things that makes my company special.”

There are community-focused stories of blood drives, fundraisers, and hundreds of volunteer hours. And there are culture-focused stories about process improvement, openness to authentic feedback, and reductions in manual work.

This is what makes employee ownership real. It’s not just the words or the “EO” logo on a building or website. It’s the tangible impact on our communities and businesses. Providing an amazing Christmas morning for an entire family is tangible. Modifying toys for special needs kids is tangible. Giving a co-worker the space and time (and fundraising support) to be with a family member in the wake of a life-altering diagnosis is tangible.

While the EV Cup is a competition, it’s a friendly one. The real winners are our communities, our company cultures, and our employee owners, who get a chance to see, hear, and feel employee ownership in action.